Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: typec: tcpm: move...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
usb: typec: tcpm: move tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to asynchronous work
A state check was previously added to tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to
prevent a deadlock where the DisplayPort Alt Mode driver would be
executing work and attempting to grab the tcpm_lock while the TCPM
was holding the lock and attempting to unregister the altmode, blocking
on the altmode driver's cancel_work_sync call.
Because the state check isn't protected, there is a small window
where the Alt Mode driver could determine that the TCPM is
in a ready state and attempt to grab the lock while the
TCPM grabs the lock and changes the TCPM state to one that
causes the deadlock. The callstack is provided below:
[110121.667392][ C7] Call trace:
[110121.667396][ C7] __switch_to+0x174/0x338
[110121.667406][ C7] __schedule+0x608/0x9f0
[110121.667414][ C7] schedule+0x7c/0xe8
[110121.667423][ C7] kernfs_drain+0xb0/0x114
[110121.667431][ C7] __kernfs_remove+0x16c/0x20c
[110121.667436][ C7] kernfs_remove_by_name_ns+0x74/0xe8
[110121.667442][ C7] sysfs_remove_group+0x84/0xe8
[110121.667450][ C7] sysfs_remove_groups+0x34/0x58
[110121.667458][ C7] device_remove_groups+0x10/0x20
[110121.667464][ C7] device_release_driver_internal+0x164/0x2e4
[110121.667475][ C7] device_release_driver+0x18/0x28
[110121.667484][ C7] bus_remove_device+0xec/0x118
[110121.667491][ C7] device_del+0x1e8/0x4ac
[110121.667498][ C7] device_unregister+0x18/0x38
[110121.667504][ C7] typec_unregister_altmode+0x30/0x44
[110121.667515][ C7] tcpm_reset_port+0xac/0x370
[110121.667523][ C7] tcpm_snk_detach+0x84/0xb8
[110121.667529][ C7] run_state_machine+0x4c0/0x1b68
[110121.667536][ C7] tcpm_state_machine_work+0x94/0xe4
[110121.667544][ C7] kthread_worker_fn+0x10c/0x244
[110121.667552][ C7] kthread+0x104/0x1d4
[110121.667557][ C7] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20
[110121.667689][ C7] Workqueue: events dp_altmode_work
[110121.667697][ C7] Call trace:
[110121.667701][ C7] __switch_to+0x174/0x338
[110121.667710][ C7] __schedule+0x608/0x9f0
[110121.667717][ C7] schedule+0x7c/0xe8
[110121.667725][ C7] schedule_preempt_disabled+0x24/0x40
[110121.667733][ C7] __mutex_lock+0x408/0xdac
[110121.667741][ C7] __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x14/0x24
[110121.667748][ C7] mutex_lock+0x40/0xec
[110121.667757][ C7] tcpm_altmode_enter+0x78/0xb4
[110121.667764][ C7] typec_altmode_enter+0xdc/0x10c
[110121.667769][ C7] dp_altmode_work+0x68/0x164
[110121.667775][ C7] process_one_work+0x1e4/0x43c
[110121.667783][ C7] worker_thread+0x25c/0x430
[110121.667789][ C7] kthread+0x104/0x1d4
[110121.667794][ C7] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20
Change tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to queue for tcpm_queue_vdm_work,
which can perform the state check while holding the TCPM lock
while the Alt Mode lock is no longer held. This requires a new
struct to hold the vdm data, altmode_vdm_event.
Impact
CVE-2025-38268 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-38268? CVE-2025-38268 is a medium-severity security vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2025-38268? CVE-2025-38268 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-38268? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-38268 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-38268 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-38268 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-38268 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.